RustyOne

I love fabric. The color. The way it feels in my hands. The way it drapes. I love fabric. My mother, aunt, and grandmother got me started sewing on an ancient black Singer. Had my first sewing class in 8th grade and have been sewing ever since. Clothes for myself, my kids, my animals. Back in the 90s I sorta ran out of people to sew for, so I started making dolls and animals. Then one night by accident I picked up a doll magazine that was featuring porcelain dolls--big ones--and I was smitten. For a long while I made those 30-40" lavish, ravishing ladies. They sold well until HSN crashed and burned the market with their cheap imported crap from China. Suddenly no one was interested in dolls, so I floundered around for quite a while. I had always made quilts--but for family, not for sale. So now I'm back making quilts. Haven't sold anything yet, but that's okay. It just feels so good being creative again and having a firm direction and goals. Quilting makes me feel useful...and the results are gorgeous and unique and all my own.

Rusty

toogie

I have been sewing for almost 60 years. I love the creativity of starting with a flat piece of fabric and turning it into something useful. It gives me a sense of satisfaction and also pride, that little ole me could make that. Although I've made many things over the years my passion before quilting was making baby heirloom garments. I loved when the moms would send a photo back of their children in a gown I made. I was hand embroidering them or smocking.
Then I got my first embroidery machine. My niece did bus tours and I have traveled with her all over the east and southern coasts, from Maine to Florida to Louisiana. Then in Canada. We would fly the group to Maine and then get a bus to take up into Canada. She would play games on the bus and every trip I made 85-90 gifts for the prizes. Most were embroidery, but not all.
At one point my niece's cousin asked me to join her quilting group. I visited but thought I just didn't have time to make a quilt. The group also made QOV quilts. When they presented my husband with a quilt, I was so proud. I brought my machine to the next meeting in 2019 and the rest is history. I have always loved giving and this fulfilled the receivers need and mine, because we also make for children charities.
I love sewing. It is therapy for me. It soothes my soul, whereas other people that don't sew much, says it makes them nervous or they struggle to get something made. I know it's not for everybody. I have had thought recently to stop and clean out my space, but I know I would wither away, if my machines were taken away from me. I hope you find the passion and fulfillment that I have had so many years, for sewing and quilting again. We all go through slumps. If it is not something you enjoy anymore, then finds something that replaces the joy you once had with this hobby. Just don't sit and wither.

tranum

Most of the women in my life sewed so I grew up with it. I sewed most of my own school clothes in the ‘60s and beyond. I sewed a sport coat for my husband & dresses and tailored blazers for myself to wear to work. I loved working with wool. I sewed a blazer & skirt from tweed looking corduroy & remember getting so many compliments on it. My tailored blazers always had shoulder pads & full lining. Our daughter never had a dress from the store. Time went on and I don’t remember the last time I made garments. My godmother made a baby quilt for each of the kids and my Grandma made them bed size quilts so no need for me to do that.

Life got busy and I never made quilts until I retired at 56 then I started to help our church ladies make mission quilts. They were pretty bad, using donated clothes and worn out sheets. It was my first quilting experience.
We moved and found a new church with an amazing quilting department. Now I make tops by the dozens for local giving. My favorite is the children’s quilts that go to Social Services and the ones that go to human traffic victims.

I’ve always had a love of fabric & the feel of it in my hands.